Why use B&W on the moon when color media was allready available?

We all have seen at least some color images on (?) the moon additionally to a great majority of black and whites.

Even if the moon has not much of color information, science would be better off with the additional color info even if limited.
I don t accept that transmision to earth requires minimal file size since the manned craft landed on the moon have returned with the original negatives.

reply to post by GEORGETHEGREEK


The thing is that, most space telescopes like the hubble, with the exception of the colour filter camera's, take the image in black and white only, and the colour is added to them manually by verying the information about the characteristics of the objects and applying colour to them. And since the moon does not have lots of information about its nature, and as its real colour is white sand with black maria, not much can be done.

There are plenty of color images of the Moon taken during the Apollo missions. They used both color and b/w film.

Just becasue there are more b/w film photos than there are color..and lets not forget that even for NASA and the Moon landing program, color film was more expensive than b/w in those days, it doesnt mean that some major coverup or conspiracy is occuring based on the number of color photos vs b/w photos.

Now when you get photos that are clearly "airbrushed", then you got reason to say there is a coverup.



Cheers!!!!

reply to post by RFBurns


I think that he was refering not only to the apollo missions, but also other space and ground based telescopes, which have come a long way since then.

reply to post by GEORGETHEGREEK


BLack and white film has superior contrast and was the best available then for recording lunar details. Not to mention color was much more expensive then.
Why do you think we did not land on the moon? I've met some astronauts in my time; trust me, they are not faking anything. No one is going to risk death strapping themselves over an explosive rocket just to hoodwink the public, most of them are military test pilots and have better things to do than pull stunts like that. Not to mention it is a waste of milllions of dollars of very difficult training.

reply to post by secretagent woooman


As I understand it high quality black and white film exceeds the resolution of high quality colour film. Given the expensive lenses they used no doubt they could get the maximum out of the film:

www.hq.nasa.gov...

Edit:

Some technical math-heavyish info on film resolution:

aic.stanford.edu...

Backs up what people have been saying about the resolution and contrast of B&W.

[edit on 1-2-2009 by jackphotohobby]

reply to post by GEORGETHEGREEK


In the 1950s and 60s, color processing was expensive, so black and white was used most of the time. Many of the stories were done in color, but the prints were made in black and white to save money. Most TV sets were still black and white until the late 1960s, when color became the norm. It was more a matter of money than anything else back then.

The interesting thing is to try to find the color originals, which may still be locked in a vault, or may have been reused. It was common to recycle news film back in the day.

Originally posted by kidflash2008
reply to post by GEORGETHEGREEK

 

In the 1950s and 60s, color processing was expensive, so black and white was used most of the time. Many of the stories were done in color, but the prints were made in black and white to save money. Most TV sets were still black and white until the late 1960s, when color became the norm. It was more a matter of money than anything else back then.

The interesting thing is to try to find the color originals, which may still be locked in a vault, or may have been reused. It was common to recycle news film back in the day.

I don't think NASA would not use something because of cost, especially during the space race, they likely chose film and recording mediums based on its intended purpose. There's a pretty coo historic Apollo run-through, via NASA here:

www.hq.nasa.gov...

It's a real shame it's not in colour and not available as a single PDF. Essential reading.

They're not buying Carl Zeiss lenses and using Hasselblads and then skimping on film costs .

Originally posted by peacejet
and as its real colour is white sand with black maria, not much can be done.

poppycock NASA deliberate disinfo

This is the real color of the Moon..

i find it quite unbelivable and highly unlikely that money was an object at all for using b&w........

Moreover i do get some color and color variation info on the above external image.... not much, but enough, so why not have in the past and specially when having been close up on the moon?????

Apollo 4
Magazine AS04-01-044 to AS04-01-731A [713 color images (0 surface; 0 orbital; 713 other)]

Apollo 6
AS06-02-819 to AS06-02-1510 [373 color images (0 surface; 0 orbital; 373 other)]

Apollo 7
Magazine M AS07-03-1511 to AS07-03-1557 [46 color images (0 surface; 30 orbital; 7 other)]
Magazine N AS07-04-1558 to AS07-04-1612 [55 color images (0 surface; 17 orbital; 8 other)]
Magazine Q AS07-05-1613 to AS07-05-1671 [58 color images (0 surface; 58 orbital; 1 other)]
Magazine O AS07-06-1672 to AS07-06-1737 [66 color images (0 surface; 66 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine S AS07-07-1738 to AS07-07-1879 [142 color images (0 surface; 142 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine R AS07-08-1880 to AS07-08-1943 [64 color images (0 surface; 64 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine V AS07-09-1944 to AS07-09-1948 [5 black & white images (0 surface; 5 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine U AS07-10-1949 to AS07-10-1978 [30 black & white images (0 surface; 30 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine P AS07-11-1979 to AS07-11-2043 [65 color images (0 surface; 63 orbital; 2 other)]

Apollo 8
Magazine D AS08-12-2044 to AS08-12-2214 [171 black & white images (0 surface; 171 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine E AS08-13-2215 to AS08-13-2382 [168 black & white images (0 surface; 137 orbital; 31 other)]
Magazine B AS08-14-2383 to AS08-14-2534 [152 color images (0 surface; 58 orbital; 94 other)]
Magazine F AS08-15-2535 to AS08-15-2580 [46 color images (0 surface; 0 orbital; 46 other)]
Magazine A AS08-16-2581 to AS08-16-2658 [78 color images (0 surface; 6 orbital; 72 other)]
Magazine C AS08-17-2659 to AS08-17-2827 [169 black & white images (0 surface; 169 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine G AS08-18-2828 to AS08-18-2908 [81 black & white images (0 surface; 60 orbital; 21 other)]

Apollo 9
Magazine A AS09-19-2909 to AS09-19-3052 [144 color images (0 surface; 59 orbital; 85 other)]
Magazine E AS09-20-3053 to AS09-20-3177 [125 color images (0 surface; 66 orbital; 59 other)]
Magazine B AS09-21-3178 to AS09-21-3323 [146 color images (0 surface; 64 orbital; 82 other)]
Magazine C AS09-22-3324 to AS09-22-3474 [151 color images (0 surface; 149 orbital; 2 other)]
Magazine D AS09-23-3475 to AS09-23-3618 [144 color images (0 surface; 135 orbital; 9 other)]
Magazine F AS09-24-3619 to AS09-24-3681 [63 color images (0 surface; 23 orbital; 40 other)]
Magazine G AS09-25-3682 to AS09-25-3695 [14 color images (0 surface; 14 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine AA AS09-26A-3696A to AS09-26A-3835A [140 images (0 surface; 140 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine BB AS09-26B-3696B to AS09-26B-3854B [159 images (0 surface; 159 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine CC AS09-26C-3696C to AS09-26C-3823C [128 images (0 surface; 128 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine DD AS09-26D-3696D to AS09-26D-3854D [159 images (0 surface; 159 orbital; 0 other)]

Apolllo 10
Magazine N AS10-27-3855 to AS10-27-3987 [133 color images (0 surface; 4 orbital; 129 other)]
Magazine O AS10-28-3988 to AS10-28-4163 [176 black & white images (0 surface; 176 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine P AS10-29-4164 to AS10-29-4326 [163 black & white images (0 surface; 163 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine Q AS10-30-4327 to AS10-30-4499 [173 black & white images (0 surface; 173 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine R AS10-31-4500 to AS10-31-4674 [175 black & white images (0 surface; 175 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine S AS10-32-4675 to AS10-32-4856 [182 black & white images (0 surface; 182 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine T AS10-33-4857 to AS10-33-5008 [152 black & white images (0 surface; 152 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine M AS10-34-5009 to AS10-34-5173 [165 color images (0 surface; 81 orbital; 84 other)]
Magazine U AS10-35-5174 to AS10-35-5290 [117 color images (0 surface; 43 orbital; 74 other)]

Apollo 11
Magazine N AS11-36-5291 to AS11-36-5432 [142 color images (0 surface; 28 orbital; 114 other)]
Magazine R AS11-37-5433 to AS11-37-5555 [123 color images (107 surface; 16 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine O AS11-38-5556 to AS11-38-5736 [181 black & white images (0 surface; 57 orbital; 124 other)]
Magazine Q AS11-39-5737 to AS11-39-5843 [107 black & white images (107 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine S AS11-40-5844 to AS11-40-5882A [128 color images (125 surface; 3 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine P AS11-41-5971 to AS11-41-6159 [189 black & white images (0 surface; 189 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine U AS11-42-6160 to AS11-42-6348 [189 black & white images (0 surface; 145 orbital; 44 other)]
Magazine T AS11-43-6349 to AS11-43-6539 [191 black & white images (0 surface; 191 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine V AS11-44-6540 to AS11-44-6696 [157 color images (0 surface; 77 orbital; 80 other)]

Apollo 12
Magazine Y AS12-46-6715 to AS12-46-6868 [154 color images (154 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine V AS12-47-6869 to AS12-47-7021 [153 color images (126 surface; 27 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine X AS12-48-7022 to AS12-48-7171 [150 black & white images (150 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine Z AS12-49-7172 to AS12-49-7324 [153 black & white images (153 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine Q AS12-50-7325 to AS12-50-7459 [135 color images (0 surface; 58 orbital; 77 other)]
Magazine R AS12-51-7460 to AS12-51-7588 [129 color images (0 surface; 129 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine S AS12-52-7589 to AS12-52-7762 [174 black & white images (0 surface; 174 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine U AS12-53-7763 to AS12-53-7947 [185 black & white images (0 surface; 128 orbital; 57 other)]
Magazine T AS12-54-7948 to AS12-54-8120 [173 black & white images (0 surface; 173 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine EE AS12-55-8121 to AS12-55-8297 [177 black & white images (0 surface; 80 orbital; 97 other)]
Magazine AA AS12-56A-8314 to AS12-56A-8439 [104 infrared images (0 surface; 104 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine BB AS12-56B-8298 to AS12-56B-8439 [142 black & white images (0 surface; 142 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine CC AS12-56C-8298 to AS12-56C-8439 [142 black & white images (0 surface; 142 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine DD AS12-56D-8298 to AS12-56D-8439 [142 black & white images (0 surface; 142 orbital; 0 other)]

Apollo 13
Magazine N AS13-58-8456 to AS13-58-8481 [26 color images (0 surface; 0 orbital; 26 other)]
Magazine R AS13-59-8482 to AS13-59-8576 [95 black & white images (0 surface; 0 orbital; 95 other)]
Magazine L AS13-60-8577 to AS13-60-8726 [150 color images (0 surface; 55 orbital; 95 other)]
Magazine II AS13-61-8727 to AS13-61-8879 [153 color images (0 surface; 0 orbital; 153 other)]
Magazine JJ AS13-62-8880 to AS13-62-9039 [160 color images (0 surface; 17 orbital; 143 other)]

Apollo 14
Magazine LL AS14-64-9046 to AS14-64-9201 [156 black & white images (156 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine KK AS14-65-9202 to AS14-65-9215 [14 black & white images (14 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine II AS14-66-9216 to AS14-66-9360 [145 color images (115 surface; 13 orbital; 17 other)]
Magazine JJ AS14-67-9361 to AS14-67-9393 [33 color images (33 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine MM AS14-68-9394 to AS14-68-9492 [99 black & white images (99 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine P AS14-69-9493 to AS14-69-9656 [164 black & white images (0 surface; 164 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine Q AS14-70-9657 to AS14-70-9840 [184 black & white images (0 surface; 184 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine T AS14-71-9841 to AS14-71-9917 [77 black & white images (0 surface; 0 orbital; 77 other)]
Magazine L AS14-72-9918 to AS14-72-10039 [122 color images (0 surface; 93 orbital; 29 other)]
Magazine M AS14-73-10040 to AS14-73-10204 [165 color images (0 surface; 130 orbital; 35 other)]
Magazine N AS14-74-10205 to AS14-74-10222 [18 color images (0 surface; 0 orbital; 18 other)]
Magazine R AS14-75-10223 to AS14-75-10320 [98 black & white images (0 surface; 98 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine O AS14-76-10321 to AS14-76-10356 [36 color images (0 surface; 0 orbital; 36 other)]
Magazine S AS14-78-10375 to AS14-78-10399 [25 color images (0 surface; 25 orbital; 0 other)]

Apollo 15
Magazine QQ AS15-81-10869 to AS15-81-11046 [178 black & white images (0 surface; 178 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine SS AS15-82-11047 to AS15-82-11217 [171 black & white images (171 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine ?? AS15-83-11218 to AS15-83-11234 [17 black & white images (0 surface; 0 orbital; 17 other)]
Magazine MM AS15-84-11235 to AS15-84-11352 [118 black & white images (115 surface; 3 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine LL AS15-85-11353 to AS15-85-11529 [177 black & white images (177 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine NN AS15-86-11530 to AS15-86-11694 [165 color images (165 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine KK AS15-87-11695 to AS15-87-11860 [166 color images (131 surface; 35 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine TT AS15-88-11861 to AS15-88-12014 [154 color images (94 surface; 52 orbital; 8 other)]
Magazine WW AS15-89-12015 to AS15-89-12178 [164 black & white images (164 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine PP AS15-90-12179 to AS15-90-12328 [150 black & white images (88 surface; 62 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine M AS15-91-12329 to AS15-91-12405 [77 color images (0 surface; 55 orbital; 22 other)]
Magazine OO AS15-92-12406 to AS15-92-12576 [171 black & white images (46 surface; 125 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine P AS15-93-12577 to AS15-93-12736 [160 color images (0 surface; 160 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine S AS15-94-12737 to AS15-94-12869 [133 black & white images (0 surface; 112 orbital; 21 other)]
Magazine RR AS15-95-12870 to AS15-95-12879A [136 black & white images (0 surface; 113 orbital; 23 other)]
Magazine Q AS15-96-13003 to AS15-96-13136 [134 color images (0 surface; 75 orbital; 59 other)]
Magazine O AS15-97-13137 to AS15-97-13298 [161 color images (0 surface; 161 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine R AS15-98-13299 to AS15-98-13401 [103 black & white images (0 surface; 99 orbital; 4 other)]
Magazine N AS15-99-13402 to AS15-99-13506 [105 ultraviolet images (0 surface; 35 orbital; 70 other)]

Apollo 16
Magazine UU AS16-104-17001 to AS16-104-17052 [52 black & white images (0 surface; 0 orbital; 52 other)]
Magazine M AS16-105-17054 to AS16-105-17236 [183 black & white images (184 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine K AS16-106-17238 to AS16-106-17418 [181 black & white images (182 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine C AS16-107-17419 to AS16-107-17583 [165 color images (165 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine I AS16-108-17584 to AS16-108-17744 [161 black & white images (162 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine G AS16-109-17746 to AS16-109-17864 [119 black & white images (119 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine H AS16-110-17866 to AS16-110-18032 [167 black & white images (168 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine J AS16-111-18034 to AS16-111-18192 [159 black & white images (160 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine L AS16-112-18193 to AS16-112-18278 [86 black & white images (86 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine A AS16-113-18279 to AS16-113-18382 [104 color images (87 surface; 17 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine B AS16-114-18383 to AS16-114-18470 [88 color images (88 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine D AS16-115-18471 to AS16-115-18562 [92 color images (92 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine E AS16-116-18563 to AS16-116-18724 [162 color images (162 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine F AS16-117-18725 to AS16-117-18856 [132 color images (132 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine NN AS16-118-18857 to AS16-118-19022 [166 color images (0 surface; 125 orbital; 41 other)]
Magazine RR AS16-119-19023 to AS16-119-19184 [162 color images (0 surface; 162 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine V AS16-120-19185 to AS16-120-19344 [160 color images (0 surface; 160 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine PP AS16-121-19345 to AS16-121-19457 [113 color images (0 surface; 105 orbital; 8 other)]
Magazine QQ AS16-122-19458 to AS16-122-19612 [155 color images (0 surface; 150 orbital; 5 other)]
Magazine SS AS16-124-19822 to AS16-124-19925 [104 black & white images (0 surface; 85 orbital; 19 other)]
Magazine TT AS16-125-19926 to AS16-125-19932 [7 black & white images (0 surface; 0 orbital; 7 other)]
Magazine OO AS16-131-20100 to AS16-131-20182 [83 ultraviolet images (0 surface; 10 orbital; 73 other)]

Apollo 17
Magazine J AS17-133-20193 to AS17-133-20375 [183 black & white images (183 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine B AS17-134-20376 to AS17-134-20532 [157 color images (138 surface; 0 orbital; 19 other)]
Magazine G AS17-135-20533 to AS17-135-20679 [147 black & white images (147 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine H AS17-136-20682 to AS17-136-20865 [184 black & white images (186 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine C AS17-137-20866 to AS17-137-21027 [162 color images (162 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine I AS17-138-21028 to AS17-138-21183 [156 black & white images (157 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine K AS17-139-21185 to AS17-139-21350 [166 black & white images (92 surface; 74 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine E AS17-140-21351 to AS17-140-21509 [159 color images (159 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine L AS17-141-21510 to AS17-141-21668 [159 black & white images (159 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine M AS17-142-21669 to AS17-142-21833 [165 black & white images (165 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine N AS17-143-21834 to AS17-143-21982 [149 black & white images (149 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine R AS17-144-21983 to AS17-144-22132 [150 black & white images (150 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine D AS17-145-22133 to AS17-145-22288 [156 color images (90 surface; 26 orbital; 40 other)]
Magazine F AS17-146-22289 to AS17-146-22450 [162 color images (162 surface; 0 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine A AS17-147-22451 to AS17-147-22606 [156 color images (138 surface; 18 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine NN AS17-148-22607 to AS17-148-22775 [169 color images (0 surface; 10 orbital; 159 other)]
Magazine KK AS17-149-22776 to AS17-149-22941 [166 color images (0 surface; 142 orbital; 24 other)]
Magazine LL AS17-150-22942 to AS17-150-23105 [164 color images (0 surface; 164 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine OO AS17-151-23106 to AS17-151-23269 [164 color images (0 surface; 148 orbital; 16 other)]
Magazine PP AS17-152-23270 to AS17-152-23420 [151 color images (0 surface; 18 orbital; 133 other)]
Magazine MM AS17-153-23421 to AS17-153-23593 [173 color images (0 surface; 173 orbital; 0 other)]
Magazine QQ AS17-154-23594 to AS17-154-23689 [96 black & white images (0 surface; 91 orbital; 5 other)]
Magazine RR AS17-155-23690 to AS17-155-23776 [87 black & white images (0 surface; 87 orbital; 0 other)]

+

Clementine


You wont hide a supposed artificial structure on the Moon just by showing it in black and white. To observe a crater, or a rille, or a rimae, can be done with b&w images, of course depending by the type of study that you have to do but regarding geo-morphologic studies, with b&w images you can do the 90 % of the work.

Originally posted by kidflash2008
In the 1950s and 60s, color processing was expensive,

Then why did Apollo Astronauts have a state of the art HASSALBLAD camera? The same camera that took those Playboy centerfold shots in the 60's?

It's really quite simple. Kodak 80ASA Panatomic-X is a very fine grain b&w film. They chose it for the same reason they used 70mm cameras; better resolution. A film's grain is analogous to true resolution. Not all films are made alike, and therefore you use different films for different reasons. Back then, and it's still mostly true today, b&w films had finer grain (more resolution) than comparable color films. They also tend to have a much better range of light response, which is partly why b&w films were favored by astrophotographers back then.

reply to post by GEORGETHEGREEK


ngchunter said it nicely

Therefore my post removed. Note to self, read to the bottom of page.

[edit on 2/2/09 by flice]

You can see all the color video available of the Moon on youtube.
Video cameras through a scope can't see much except the Moon
which looks white from the earth and from the youtube videos as well.

There are color photos but I don't think there are any explanations.
I saw a green area and a brown area in one photo posted on ATS.
Buy why should NASA or any government agency explain anything
to the people but bull cover up stories for one conspiracy or another.

Its going on now with Obama to cover the Haliberton war depletion
of the American economy. ENRON taking California's money on
electricity contracts was just an Illuminati warm up for 911 and the
future.